Chessie vs. Lab and breeder referrals

[John Robinson]

Read this:

http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/breeds.html

It's a pretty good comparison of labs, goldens and chessies.

That is a great article and from my experience, pretty spot on. I remember reading it for the first time in Gun Dog magazine many years ago.

John

[Beamer81]

Chessies are more protective than agressive......big difference.

I would take advantage of the offer from Moscowitz....you will see some nice Chessies!

Visit this site:

http://teamchesapeake.infopop.cc/groupee/forums

[Tim Carrion]

Read this:

http://www.oakhillkennel.com/library/breeds.html

It's a pretty good comparison of labs, goldens and chessies.

....and after you read it take a ride over to Vass NC to talk to the authors in person.

Tim

[deadriver]

I am in NC and you do not have to worry about the heat. My peake deals with the heat better than all the labs i have owned and still own. They blow the coat and and a ferminator gets them pretty slick, down to the under hair.

Having owned 3 chessies and some 20+ labs and being a hunter first that demands a high level of retrieving, i will give an unbiased view of bot of my dogs that i currently own. I am currently training with 3 other chessies and helping a friend that bought a pup from my last breeding, there are similarities and differences.

Generalization come from some basis of reality.
-more even keel than most of our FT bred labs
-chessies do not generally like the pressure as much, but they do well with it if well bred.
-I have only trained with one chessie that really likes mechanical work
-They do love to retrieve
-They have a bad rap about aggression that i have not been able to support with dogs i have raised, but i expose all of my dogs to new environments and new people all the time. They accept people no differently than labs, at least mine do. I do not tolerate a dog being alpha, so territoriality is no issue. My lab will actually bite a child that reaches into the kennel, the chessie will just lick everyone.
-They do stink. No jokeing matter, prepare for a lot of dog smell.
-They are excellent to hunt with, less demanding of your attention that almost any lab
-easy, easy, easy to get them to be steady to live birds in a real hunt
-vocal, but not some lines of labs. they grunt and groan under stress and disappointment (everyone i have been around does this). does not really matter but it is interesting that the seem to consistantly do it
-they really do love water

Labs:
-generally higher level of drive
-we seem to have more really demanding labs in the duck blind and i find that rookie trainers just dont get control of them
-love the training, even with plastic and will normally thrive in drill work
-much, much more snappy on commands
-better at figuring things out, almost deductive reasoning.

I own, hunt and breed both. I think a lab is a better choice if you want to play the games and a chessie is a better choice for the average hunter who really does not know how to train or want to train a lot. You can normally hunt with a basically untrained chessie because they are just not all over the place like a piss and vineger lab will be without consistent training. I have multiple friends that i just will not hunt with anymore because their labs are out of control (they all have jam up dogs but they have done nothing to get a handle on the high drive dogs they bought).

I work in Raleigh and have my two bitches on the truck to train during lunch on a lot of days. Feel free to get up with me and come by and see my lab, peak and one of my employee's peake. You can judge for yourself. Chris Locklear has the best running HT chessies in NC. He is near Lillington and I am sure you can drop in on him. Terry Price at Oakridge Kennels has some nice lab litters coming up this spring. I would get in on a lab from his Grady breeding if i were going with a lab and lived anywhere near NC.

All of that being said, i would own a lab, hands down, if i had to choose. I love the high drive and i when a bird goes down 300 yds, or even 500-600, it is the lab that has the drive to get it done in quick fashion. But we love our peake and she is a great addition to our kennel and is much more silly and amusing than our lab. Both of our dogs are out of truly top end breedings, NFC bred and DC chessies. It is actually a little tough to find a good HT or FT chessie breeding. Honestly, i would prepare to buy a good chessie from any state in the U.S. in order to get the best one you can get your hands on.. We have some good show breeders in NC, but less HT and FT dogs.

Whatever you do, budget all you can on your purchase and go with a pup that has all the health clearances you can think of.

good luck
Bryan

Dead River Kennel

[Matt McKenzie]

Bryan,
That's probably the most intelligent post I've ever read about the subject.

[moscowitz]

Have to agree Bryan best post yet.

[gdgnyc]

Excellent post, Bryan.

[ebenezer]

Right now I have 12 week old chessie. A friend called from Georgia and ask if I would do the favour of picking up a pup for him. He won't be home till next week and really wanted a pup from this litter. I have always had labs and will be the first to admit that I am finding this pup different.She is a great little dog but I am finding her hard to house train. With the labs they signal when they are looking for that special spot to squat, with her I find she just does it. Her temperament is great and she is willing to learn as far as other things are concerned. You have received great advice here. Good luck with your search. Retrievers are the greatest.

[Huff]

Chris Payne is in NC right now and he has a real nice litter coming up also. Check the classifieds on here for more info.

Russell

[roseberry]

i just can't sit and watch a train wreck! get a lab and never look back!

just kiddin', figure out what works best for you. you're getting good advice and references.